- It's time to dust the cobwebs off those old civics lessons you learned in high school.

This is Spokane's very first televised Civics Bowl.

Six high school teams from Spokane club schools are about to go head to head to find out who has what it takes to be this year's Civics Bowl champion.

This is our first round one matchup, Lewis and Clark versus the North Central.

(upbeat music) (cheerful music) - [Announcer] Civics bowl is made possible by Eastern Washington University, The Avista Foundation, The League of Women Voters of the Spokane Area, and of Washington.

And by viewers like you.

(cheerful music continues.)

- Hello and welcome.

I'm your host and the president general manager of KSPS, Gary Stokes.

Thank you for joining us for this inaugural season of Civics Bowl.

Here at KSPS, one of our top priorities is promoting civics education, not only in our schools, but for our entire community.

We've certainly learned a lot about politics putting this series together.

We hope you'll learn too and have some fun watching these great teams compete.

Let's take a look at the bracket.

We have six teams from Spokane Public Schools competing over the next six weeks.

Today we start with Lewis and Clark and North Central.

Welcome, teams!

Let's meet the players from Lewis and Clark.

- Hi, I'm Molly.

- Hi, I'm Arun.

- I'm Sasha.

- Hi, I'm Vinh.

- And in the audience, L-C's alternate Sylvie... And coach Maegan Gomes.

Now let's meet the players from North Central.

- Hi, I'm Jacob.

- I'm Sydney.

- I'm Jonah.

- And I'm Bryce.

- And in the audience, N-C's alternate is Harrison, and assistant principal, Carole Baumgartner.

We'll start play with the tossup round.

All players are eligible to buzz in and answer the tossup question.

After correctly, answering a tossup question, the winning will receive a related bonus question.

On the bonus question, teams, you are encouraged to collaborate.

All correct answers in this round are worth 10 points.

For all questions you must wait until I finished reading the question to buzz in.

Ready, players?

Okay.

Let's begin.

In the United States, what is the supreme law of the land?

(buzzer beeps) Arun?

- The Constitution.

- You are correct.

Bonus question: What does the U.S. Constitution do?

(buzzer beeps) Arun?

- It provides for setting up the government.

- Correct.

It's also a question available for both teams.

What is the longest article of the U.S. Constitution?

(buzzer beeps) Jacob?

- What is Article I.

- You are correct.

And the bonus question: What is the purpose of Article I?

- It sets up the legislature.

- Correct.

Toss up, both teams.

What essays were published in New York State newspapers in 1787 and 1788 to encourage citizens to ratify the proposed U.S. Constitution?

(buzzer beeps) Arun?

- The Federalist Papers?

- Correct.

And now bonus.

Name two of the three authors of the Federalist Papers.

(buzzer beeps) Arun?

- Hamilton and John Jay.

- Correct.

Toss up, both teams.

Which amendments to the U.S. Constitution make up the Bill of Rights?

(buzzer beeps) Arun?

- Amendments 1 through 10.

- You are correct.

Toss up, both teams.

What are the powers of the national government that are specifically listed in the U.S. Constitution called?

(buzzer beeps) Jacob?

- What are the enumerated powers.

- [Gary] Correct.

And a toss up bonus: Which of the following is not an expressed power of the federal government specified in the Constitution?

A.

Declare war; B.

Establish post offices; C. Establish public schools; D. Coin money?

- [Jacob] Letter C. - Correct.

Okay, and now we have our first video question.

Players, please look at the monitor.

- Hi, I'm Spokane mayor Nadine Woodward.

Here's your question: To ratify a Constitutional amendment, a supermajority of states must agree to adopt it.

The supermajority needed to ratify an amendment refers to what percentage or number of states?

(buzzer beeps) - [Gary] Jacob?

- What is three fourth.

- Correct.

And now the bonus video, again, here's the mayor.

- And now your bonus question.

In 2010, Washington state voters passed an initiative requiring a two-thirds vote of the legislature to raise taxes.

But it was thrown out.

Why?

(buzzer beeps) - [Gary] Jacob.

- It was overwritten by an advisory vote.

- Correct.

Toss up for both teams: At the national level, how many years are respective terms of office for representatives, senators and presidents?

(buzzer beeps) Jacob?

- Two years, four years for Senate, and six years for Senator.

- [Gary] No.

(buzzer beeps) Arun?

- Two years for representatives, four for the president, and six years for senators.

- Correct.

And the bonus: Which of these offices has term limits?

(buzzer beeps) - President?

- Yes.

Toss up for both teams.

There are 435 members of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Seats are granted proportionately representing each state's population.

Which state has the most representatives?

(buzzer beeps) Arun?

- California.

- Correct.

And here's your bonus.

Seven states currently have only one representative in Congress.

Name one.

- Vermont.

- Correct.

In the Federalist Papers, and this is a toss up, who argued that the judicial branch of government was the weakest of the three branches?

(buzzer beeps) Jonah.

Hamilton.

- You are correct.

And now a bonus.

What did Alexander Hamilton say was the most important function of the judicial branch?

- Constitutionality of laws.

- Judges are giving you that one?

Okay, thank you.

What court case was first to establish the power of judicial review?

(buzzer beeps) Arun?

- Marbury versus Madison.

- You are correct.

And now the bonus.

Marbury versus Madison confirmed that the U.S. Supreme Court could only directly hear cases involving a state or dealing with a foreign government.

What did the Framers of the Constitution call this kind of jurisdiction?

- Federal jurisdiction?

- Original jurisdiction.

And now, it's time for another video question.

- Hi, I'm Jess Walter, bestselling author of the novel "The Cold Millions," which is set in Spokane.

Here's your question.

In 1989, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the burning of the American flag was considered a form of political expression and protest, and as such, protected speech under which amendment?

(buzzer beeps) - [Gary] Arun.

- The First Amendment.

- Correct.

Here again, Jess Walter.

- And now your bonus question.

In 1976, the Supreme Court ruled that the government did not have the right to limit the amount of personal money a candidate could spend on a campaign, as it would violate what First Amendment protection?

- Freedom of speech.

- Correct.

Toss up question, both teams.

Why are tribal governments not like state or federal governments?

(buzzer beeps) - They have sovereign immunity.

- You are correct.

And bonus question.

In what way is a tribal government like a state government?

- It has a local jurisdiction.

- Incorrect.

Steal?

- Federal government must approve of actions.

- Nope.

Nope.

Tribes can pass any law that does not violate federal law.

Violate federal law.

Toss up, both teams.

The 18th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution made manufacturing, selling and transporting what type of goods illegal?

(buzzer beeps) Bryce?

- Alcohol.

- You are correct.

And now your bonus question.

After 14 years, Section 1 of the 21st Amendment repealed the federal prohibition.

What did Section 2 of the amendment provide?

- It's about the import of alcohol by a foreign nation.

- Incorrect.

Time to steal.

- It provided that Congress would have the power to reinforce the amendment through appropriate legislation.

- It allowed states to continue prohibition if they wanted to.

If they wanted to.

Okay.

Time for the next toss up question.

Who nominates candidates to the U.S. Supreme Court?

(buzzer beeps) Jonah?

- The president of the United States.

- That is correct.

And now your bonus.

Which house of Congress approves nominees to the Supreme Court?

- The Senate.

- Correct again.

(buzzer beeps) All right.

So, at the end of the first round, we have a pretty close game going on here, L-C 130, N-C 110.

So, while you ponder on that, we're gonna take a moment to get to know our players.

We'll start with Lewis and Clark.

And the question of the day is what is your favorite subject in school and why.

Molly?

- My favorite subject in school is history.

I'm not sure why, I've just always enjoyed it more than any other subject, 'cause there's like lots of stories, I guess.

And that's kind of fun.

- [Gary] Thank you.

Arun.

- My favorite subject is also history because I just really like memorizing random facts.

I suppose that's the best subject for it.

- [Gary] I guess it's good you're here then.

Sasha?

- My favorite subject is mathematics because it's the most logical.

- [Gary] Vinh?

- My favorite subject is physics, 'cause I like knowing why things happen.

And I think that explains it pretty well.

- Thank you.

And now our friends from N-C. Jacob?

- I think my favorite subject in school is science, because it really pushes both my creative, intuitive side and my analytical side.

- [Gary] Sydney?

- My favorite subject is orchestra, because I enjoy expressing myself creatively and playing with my fellow students.

- [Gary] Nice.

Jonah?

- My favorite subject is history, because in order to analyze things that happen around us today, retrospect is a super valuable tool, and history is the best subject for that.

- [Gary] Bryce?

- My favorite subject is history as well, because I find it quite fascinating and it helps us understand the world we live in today.

- Great.

Thank you all.

All right, teams, stay tuned.

Stay tuned, the Head-to-Head Round is coming up next.

(cheerful music) Well, as you can see, we've now moved to the Head-to-Head set.

In this round, each team member will go up against a member of the opposing team, one-on-one.

Questions in this round are worth 10 points.

And again, you must wait for me to finish reading the question to buzz in.

You ready to hear that?

All right.

Ready?

Let's begin!

What type of government is formed when a constitution limits a government's power and gives its citizens a way to enforce those limits?

(buzzer beeps) Go.

- A republic?

- Limited government, or Constitutional government.

Next!

Which two branches of government did not exist under the Articles of Confederation, and were later created by the U.S. Constitution?

(buzzer beeps) - A judicial and executive.

- Correct.

According to Article 2 Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution, the president has the power to grant reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United States, with one exception.

What is that exception?

(buzzer beeps) - Treason?

- Impeachment.

Are legal residents of Puerto Rico automatically citizens of the United States?

(buzzer beeps) - Yes.

- You are correct.

U.S. territory, such as Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin islands are also considered part of U.S. soil.

The U.S. Constitution grants many powers to the president, but also limits some of these powers.

For example, the president is head of the military, but how is that power limited?

(buzzer beeps) Yes?

- Congress has the power to declare war.

- Correct.

True or false: To serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, a justice has to have served as a lawyer or judge?

(buzzer beeps) - False.

- You are correct.

There are no constitutional requirements for a Supreme court justice.

If the Washington State Legislature wants to amend the State Constitution, how many legislators must vote yes on the proposed amendment?

(buzzer beeps) - Two thirds.

You are correct.

And last question.

What year did Spokane host the World's Fair?

(buzzer beeps) - 1970.

- 1974.

Thank you very much, teams.

Okay.

Head back to your main desk and we will move on with our next round, and you're gonna love it.

(cheerful music) As we can see by their performance already, these students are excelling in their schools.

We wanted to give each team a chance to show off their school.

So here now is a video from North Central.

- Hi, I'm Jonah.

- I'm Jacob.

- I'm Sydney.

- I'm Bryce.

- I'm Harrison, and we are the North Central Wolfpack Civics Bowl team.

- Our team is comprised of members of Mr. Knight's AP Comparative Government and U.S. Government and Politics class.

- North Central is located just north of the Spokane River and south of the Garland District in the heart of the West Central neighborhood.

- Would you please introduce yourself, Sir?

- Hi, I'm Mr. Knight, coach of the North Central Civics Bowl team.

I'm really excited to see the youth of Spokane unstrap their civics knowledge at the competition next week.

- Our school population is currently at around 1,500 students with 120 middle schoolers.

- N-C is home to the Institute of science and technology, our middle school immersion program, which three of our teammates attended.

- We are excited for this unique opportunity to compete against such wonderful schools.

- [Together] Good luck!

(Gary chuckles) - Thank you, N-C, and now Lewis and Clark.

- [Student] Welcome to Lewis and Clark, home of the Tigers.

Nestled right downtown and home to about 2,000 students, L-C is Spokane's first high school and its oldest district building.

Founded in 1891, it burnt down and was rebuilt in 1912 on the same day that the Titanic sank and that Kim Il-sung was born.

Teddy Roosevelt laid the cornerstone.

It was remodeled in 2001.

- This is a high school auditorium and we're the only high school auditorium west of Missouri with full size high organ.

("Toccata and Fugue in D Minor" by J.S.

Bach) - And we have a wicked cool art collection.

(light music) - [Student] L-C is home to several award winning programs, such as their music and drama departments, as well as several successful athletic teams.

And don't forget the academic team who finished fourth at the 2022 State Knowledge Bowl tournament.

- Thank you very much.

And thank you for opportunity to find out more about your schools.

The current point standings are N-C 150, L-C, 140, and we are now entering into one of my absolute favorite rounds, the Category Round.

We have six categories for you to choose from.

Each with five questions, which increase in point value from 10 to 30.

Here are your categories: Tea Time, Election Calendar, Test Anxiety, By the Numbers, Leading Our State, and Donkeys and Elephants.

Teams will alternate turns.

And you can jump from category to category, but you cannot move ahead in point value.

Points are deducted for wrong answers in this round.

But you can pass on a question with no penalty or toss a question to the other team.

If you are tossed a question, you must answer and will either win or lose the associated points.

So, you see, there's a little bit of strategy in this round.

So L-C will go first, and pick your category.

- [Arun] Donkeys and Elephants, please.

- Donkey and elephants for 10.

Once again, here is Mayor Nadine Woodward with your video question.

- What do you call a group of people who join together to advance their public policy beliefs through winning office and making laws?

- A political party?

- That is correct.

Okay, Jonah?

- [Jonah] Leading Our State for 10 points.

- Leading Our State for 10 points.

The person in this Washington state elected position is in charge of running the state government.

- The governor, Jay Inslee.

- That is correct.

Arun?

- Donkeys and Elephants for 15, please.

- Donkeys and Elephants for 15.

Name five significant political parties in past or present U.S. elections.

And you have to name five.

- The Democratic Party, the Republican Party, the Green Party, the Libertarian Party, and the Democratic Republican Party.

- That is correct.

Jonah?

- [Jonah] Donkey and Elephants for 20.

- Donkey and Elephants for 20.

Political parties offer citizens a collection of viewpoints or opinions of how the government and our society should be governed, including where the parties stand on major issues.

What is this called?

- Ideological party platform.

- [Gary] Correct.

Arun?

- [Arun] Donkeys and Elephants for 25.

- Donkeys and Elephants for 25.

Name one of three ways political parties engage citizens in the political process.

- Campaigning.

- Correct.

Jonah?

- Donkeys and Elephants for 30.

- And that wraps up this category.

What was the political party of George Washington?

- No political party.

- You are correct.

And that wraps up Donkeys and Elephants.

Arun?

- Leading Our State for 15.

- Leading Our State for 15.

The person in this Washington state elected position presides over sessions of the state Senate.

- The Senate majority leader.

- Incorrect.

Jonah?

- Senate pro tempore.

- Lieutenant Governor.

Arun, back to you.

- [Arun] Leading Our State 20.

- The person in this Washington state elected position is in charge of the millions of acres of state-owned land.

- Our answer is the Agriculture Commissioner.

- Incorrect.

Jonah?

- Pass.

- N-C, you have the next pick.

And by the way, that was the Commissioner of Public Land.

- [Jonah] Let's do By the Numbers for 10 points.

- By the Numbers for 10.

How many justices currently serve on the U.S. Supreme Court?

- Nine justices.

- That is correct.

Arun?

- [Arun] By the Numbers for 15, please.

- By the Numbers for 15, How many amendments to U.S. Constitution are there?

- 27.

- That is correct.

- [Jonah] Tea Time for 10.

- Tea Time for 10.

Once again, here is author Jess Walter with your video question.

- Even after the Stamp and Townsend Acts were repealed, ending many of the taxes on American Colonists, the British Parliament continued taxing what lucrative good?

- Sugar.

- [Gary] Incorrect.

Arun?

- Tea.

- Tea.

- [Gary] Correct.

(students giggle) Okay.

Arun, your pick.

- By the Numbers for 20, please.

- By the Numbers for 20.

How many of the 535 electoral votes are needed to elect a president?

- 270.

- [Gary] You are correct.

Jonah?

- [Jonah] Test Anxiety for 10.

- What is the name of the exam required for certain federal jobs?

- GRE.

- Incorrect.

Arun?

- Pass.

- [Gary] Okay.

Civil service exam.

Arun?

- [Arun] Buy the Numbers for 25, please.

- How many representatives does Washington have in the U.S. House of Representatives?

(students whispering) Answer, please.

- Five.

- Incorrect.

Johan?

- 10.

- 10 is correct.

Okay, Jonah, we'll stick with you.

- [Jonah] By the Numbers for 30, please.

- By the Numbers for 30, wrapping up this category.

How many people serve on Spokane's City Council?

- Toss.

- Eight?

- Seven.

Seven.

Council president, plus six members.

All right.

Another category moves away.

Arun?

- [Arun] Test Anxiety for 15.

- Test Anxiety for 15.

Name three types of federal jobs which require a civil service exam.

- Toss.

- We got a post office clerk, a defense attorney, and an IRS position.

- No; air traffic controllers, customs foreign service officer, law enforcement, postal service, and some secretarial positions.

Arun?

- [Arun] Tea time for 20.

- What date and year did the Boston Tea Party occur?

- Toss.

- Okay, the year was 1773 and the date was May 14th.

- December 16th.

Jonah, your call.

- [Jonah] Election Calendar 10.

- In a presidential race, candidates go through an often-unseen process of determining if they have enough money, name recognition and emotional and physical stamina to win.

What is this informal process known as?

- Pass.

- [Gary] Arun?

- Pass.

- Invisible primary.

Invisible primary.

Arun?

- [Arun] Election Calendar for 15 please.

- Election Calendar for 15.

Presidential primary and caucus season is generally February through June.

Why have the Iowa Caucuses become so important?

- Because they're one of the first caucuses or primaries to occur.

- Correct.

Jonah?

- [Jonah] Election Calendar for 20.

- Election Calendar for 20.

And this is your last question.

Each party holds a National Convention in June.

This is where the power of the party exists.

Name three things the delegates do at a national convention.

- Nominate the vice president, nominate the president, and set the party planks for the ticket, the candidates, not the actual position.

- Okay.

The judges say yes, and I agree.

(buzzer beeps) Okay.

We're out of time.

Great round, teams.

And the score as of right now is 195 to 160.

We'll be back with the final round right after the Question of the Week.

(cheerful music) - [Narrator] On December 16, 1773, a group of American Colonists organized the infamous Boston Tea Party to send a message to the British government that they would not stand for taxation without representation in Parliament.

How much tea was dumped into Boston Harbor that fateful night?

A.

5,000 pounds; B.

50,000 pounds; C. 60,000 pounds; D, 90,000 pounds?

Do you know the answer?

Follow the QR code on your screen or go to ksps.org/civicsbowl to submit your answer and be entered into a drawing to win a prize.

The deadline to enter is Monday at noon.

And please, you're on the honor system here, no Googling!

We will contact the winner directly, and let you all know the right answer next week on Civics Bowl.

(upbeat music) - Well, here we are.

It's time for the Last Go Round with the score North Central 195, Lewis and Clark 160.

And this is the all important lightning round.

What's gonna happen is I'm gonna read the questions, you're gonna have 90 seconds on the clock.

Teams, this is your answer to run up the score by answering as many questions as you can in that 90 seconds.

Each correct answer will be worth 20 points.

However, points will be deducted for wrong answers.

Teams, are you ready?

Let's go!

Creative products protected by copyrights and patents, such as books, movies, music or video games, are called what?

(buzzer beeps) Arun?

- Protected materials?

- Intellectual property.

What does POTUS stand for?

(buzzer beeps) it's Jacob.

- President of the United States.

- Correct.

In 1775, the Continental Army was created to protect the Thirteen Colonies.

Who was the army's leader?

(buzzer beeps) Jacob?

- George Washington.

- Correct.

Pictured here, who is Spokane's City Council President?

(buzzer beeps) Arun?

- Breean Beggs.

- Correct.

Which elected county official keeps records of who owns all the property in the county, keeps records of all the registered voters, and runs the elections?

(buzzer beeps) Arun?

- A secretary... A County Commissioner.

- Incorrect.

County Auditor.

What is the term used to describe a bill or position that is supported by two political parties?

(buzzer beeps) Sasha?

- Bipartisan.

- Correct.

What term in office is Washington Governor Jay Inslee currently serving?

(buzzer beeps) Arun?

- His third term.

- Correct.

When a court hears a case on an appeal from a lower court, it is said to have what kind of jurisdiction?

(buzzer beeps) Vinh?

- Appellate.

- Correct.

What is the term for organizing people and work, according to specialty of jobs, rules and hierarchy?

(buzzer beeps) Arun?

Incorrect.

Bureaucracy.

Often called the congressional watchdog, this independent, non-partisan agency investigates how the federal government spends taxpayer dollars.

(buzzer beeps) Jonah?

- Was it the IRS?

- The Government Accountability Office.

And there we go!

That is the end.

Let's give a hand to our friends from North Central, who will advance on to the next round with a score of 215 points.

(students applauding) Lewis and Clark, you are not out yet.

The remaining team with the highest score will advance to the semi-finals.

We'll find out in a couple of weeks if you'll be advancing.

North Central, will find out next week who you'll play in the semi-finals.

Make sure you watch Monday at seven o'clock as The Community School and Shadle Park battle it out for the next spot in the semi-finals.

Once again, congratulations to our winning school today, North Central.

We hope to see you again next week, and take care.

(students applauding) (upbeat music) - [Announcer] The Civics Bowl is made possible by Eastern Washington University.

The Avista Foundation, The League of Women Voters of the Spokane Area, and of Washington.

And by viewers like you.

If you are a regional school interested in taking part in Civics Bowl next year, we wanna know!

Go to ksps.org/civicsbowl to fill out our online contact form.